


Happier Than I Deserve

by scherpzinning



Series: Road Trip Season 7 [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, Pride and Prejudice References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-10
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-06-24 16:59:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15634890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scherpzinning/pseuds/scherpzinning
Summary: To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love.





	Happier Than I Deserve

**Author's Note:**

> FRANTIC LAST MINUTE POST because I've had a P&P-inspired dance scene written LITERALLY FOREVER but I suddenly decided that I needed to get ahead of canon in case Something happens- so I edited this so it fit into this road trip series and viola!! 
> 
> Thanks, as always, to Maddy for yelling at me to post it. Title and summary from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

The only thing about being famous legendary defenders traveling through the universe was that everyone wanted to talk to you. Which is how Keith ended up standing across from Lance as some alien droned on and on about how important Voltron had been in the past blah blah blah....

If it had been possible, Keith’s brains would have melted out of his ear. Across the platform, though, Lance smiled at Keith- the kind of smile that Keith just knew would be accompanied by finger guns if Lance thought he could have gotten away with it. Keith smiled back, though, laughing. He was used to the way his stomach twisted when Lance smiled at him like that- it’s something that’s he’s gotten used to, like piloting a giant robotic cat and having to save the entire universe. Sometimes it was even grounding, the certainty that came with Lance’s flirting and the way it would twist Keith’s stomach into knots. Something he could hold onto. 

***

Instead of any chance for relaxation, though, there was a ball to attend. Attend for a few hours, make polite small talk, try to have fun. 

This isn’t just a party, this is a big political deal, Shiro had said when he told them what was happening, looking each of the paladins in the eye.   
Shiro, chill, Lance scoffed. We’ve been doing this for, what, like two years now? We know how to play nice. 

Lance was right, they had been doing this for a while now, but Keith still shifted uncomfortably in his formal Altean clothes that Coran had brought out for them from whatever hidden cranny of the Blue Lion he had stashed them in before the Castle of Lions was gone. He felt more nervous now than he ever had before. Altean clothes were so...clingy. At least, when they weren’t being so flowy. At the ceremony they had worn their paladin armor, but Allura insisted that they wear clothes they could dance in- and then when Coran had dragged out the Altean clothes Keith’s fate had been sealed. 

Lance, though, looked like he was born to wear Altean clothes. He flitted easily through the crowd, moving from person to person and easily striking up a conversation each time. Keith let himself stare- at least until Hunk caught his eye from across the room and smiled knowingly. Keith looked away quickly, hoping Hunk would at least pretend he believed that Keith was innocently glancing around the room. Hunk tended to be nice like that.

“Care to dance?” 

Keith jumped at the voice right next to his ear, wondering how the hell Lance had managed to get that close without Keith noticing. But he turned to Lance, who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He was smiling, but it wasn’t that dazzling, flirtatious smile from that morning. It’s softer, and feels more private. 

“Um,” Keith said at first, because he’s a normal person who knows how to talk to the guy he likes. Lance raised an eyebrow and looks like he’s about to say something, but Keith caught himself before Lance can say anything. 

“Yes, yeah, let’s dance,” Keith said, all in a rush. He hadn’t felt this much like a thirteen year old since those first few months piloting Voltron alongside Lance, but he can’t help it. Not when Lance looked like he was born to wear Altean clothes, and his eyes looked so incredibly blue and was it Keith’s imagination or did Lance put highlighter on his cheekbones and- 

Lance held out his hand. 

Keith put his hand in Lance’s, a part of him still thinking that this was one very coherent dream, and that in a moment the castle alarm bells would ring and he would wake up in his bed. But instead, Lance’s hand closed around his and Keith was pulled out into the middle of the floor, where aliens of all kinds were arranging themselves for the next dance. The music started and Keith was relieved when he recognizes it from Allura’s brief attempt at dancing lessons, what seemed like a million years ago. 

“I do love a sarabande,” Lance said as he and Keith circle each other, their hands clasped. 

“What?” Keith, ever eloquent, asked. 

“It is your turn to say something, Mr. Darcy - I talked about the dance, now you ought to remark on the size of the room or the number of couples.”

“Are you quoting Pride and Prejudice at me?” Keith asked, raising an eyebrow. He stepped back from Lance with the music, but when they came back together again Lance is smiling. 

“I would watch it all the time with Veronica,” he said with a proud nod. “I’ve practically got the whole movie recognized.” Keith couldn’t help but laugh, while Lance takes Keith’s hand and put his other hand on Keith’s waist, pulling Keith into a waltz-like dance. 

“Of course you do,” Keith said, settling his free hand on Lance’s shoulder. The dance was easy enough to follow, so long as he moved with the rhythm, kept his feet moving, and let Lance worry about the specific footwork. They were close enough that Keith could have counted Lance’s freckles if he wanted. He almost did, but instead he glanced up to find that Lance was studying him carefully, the small smile from earlier back on his face. 

“You’re smiling,” Keith said, probably sounding more suspicious than he was. He doesn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but he’d never seen Lance smile like thiat at all, much less at Keith.

“Smiling tends to be something that people do when they’re happy,”

“No, you’re smiling like-“ Keith exhaled heavily. “I don’t know,” Keith said, exasperated. “It’s softer than normal, I guess. I just haven’t seen you smile like that.”

Lance didn’t say anything, just pursed his lips and looked thoughtful for a moment. Keith stays silent, concentrating for a moment on making sure he was still moving his feet in time with the beat. Over Lance’s shoulder he saw Shiro talking to Pidge, and Shiro caught Keith’s eye before leaning over to say something to Pidge. She laughed and started to reply, but Keith lost sight of her and Shiro as the crowd on the dance floor shifts. 

Finally, Lance made a sound that brings Keith’s attention back to him. Keith raised an eyebrow, hoping that maybe Lance would divulge whatever he figured out, but Lance just continued to smile that soft, infuriating smile. 

“You’re a good dancer,” Lance said. Keith had the feeling that Lance is trying to steer the conversation away from himself, but Keith doesn’t say so and lets Lance continue. “At least, when you’re not being grumpy and pretending you’re too cool for it.” 

“I- Hey, wait a minute,” Keith started, and then the words registered. “I do not pretend I’m too cool for it! I asked about its usefulness once- and why’d you ask me to dance if you were going to bring that up?”

Keith wasn’t actually mad- he hadn’t actually been mad at Lance when they argued for a while now. Their arguments were a familiar routine, something to put their energy into so they wouldn’t put it into panicking about how they’re literally the universe’s last hope against a dictatorship that had been going for longer than there have been human civilizations. 

Lance laughed, shrugging the shoulder under Keith’s hand. The movement made Keith grip a little tighter, just enough to feel the muscle move underneath the fabric. Keith felt himself flush, and hopes that Lance doesn’t notice. 

“Well, you know, I asked because I wanted to dance with you,” Lance said, and Keith looked at him, mildly surprised. “Besides, we both know that if I hadn’t asked you would have stood in that corner and brooded the night away- really, this was for the both of us.”

“How humanitarian of you,” Keith said, fighting to keep a straight face. It must’ve shown, though, because Lance smiled the way he did when he lands a particularly good shot with his bayard. Keith let his mouth run for a little longer, stupid as that idea might’ve been. “Anyways, uh, thanks. You’re a good dancer too.”

Keith doesn’t get the chance to say anything else, though, because he heard the familiar melody that signaled the ending of the dance. Lance raised their joined hands and spun Keith. They ended the dance pressed almost chest-to-chest, Keith’s heart pounding so hard it was a wonder Lance couldn’t feel it. 

Awkwardly, Keith took his hand off Lance’s shoulder and his hand out of Lance’s. There was already another alien waiting to, assumably, ask Lance for the next dance. As soon as Keith took a step back away from Lance, the alien did exactly that. 

“Paladin, may I have the honor of dancing with you?”

Keith missed Lance’s answer, already walking off the dance floor and trying to talk his heart into not beating quite so hard. He had accepted that this...thing of his was unrequited a while ago, but that hadnt made it go away. So he would do what he always did- he would distract himself or brood until his stomach wasn’t doing gymnastics every time Lance glanced his way, and then he would continue on. 

The discussion Keith had had a few nights ago with Lance- where Keith had stupidly kissed Lance’s cheek, hadn’t left Keith’s mind. Lance hadn’t said anything about it, so Keith had decided that was that. Lance was just a nice, flirty guy, and Keith had to get over his dumb crush. 

Keith had almost retreated back to his corner when someone grabbed his wrist from behind. Keith was pulled to a stop, and he whirled around to demand what the person needed. He froze, though, mouth hanging open in what must have been a very attractive way, when Lance was standing there smiling back at him. 

“Weren’t you going to dance with whoever asked you?” Keith asked, looking over Lance’s shoulder for them.

“I was actually trying to talk to you, but you were halfway across the room before I got a chance.” Lance lets go of Keith’s wrist and almost looked like he expected Keith to run the other direction, but instead Keith turned to face Lance, rubbing his upper arm with his other hand nervously. 

“Okay,” Keith said, raising his eyebrows in an invitation for Lance to keep talking. 

“Okay,” Lance said at last. He looked up at the ceiling for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck, and then took a breath and stepped closer to Keith. They were close as they had been when they were dancing, and Keith dropped his arm and bit back the instinct to step back in response to Lance. This wasn't a normal conversation with Lance, Keith knew that, but he can’t tell what’s about to happen. 

Some part of Keith expected Lance to punch him for the other night, but rational Keith knew Lance wouldn’t do that. They’d been through too much together for Lance to react like that, right?

“I,” Lance started, then cleared his throat a bit. “That night, around the fire...” Oh god, here it comes. Lance took another deep breath. “Listen, just- feel free to hit me if...if this is wrong.” 

“Lance, what the hell-” 

Lance took Keith’s face in his hands and kissed him. Keith froze, ice and fire simultaneously running through his veins. Lance’s lips were warm and a little chapped, and he smells like cinnamon, and oh god this is happening-

Lance leans back, and when Keith meets his eyes he realized with a sinking feeling that he hadn’t moved at all. Lance looked like he just got socked in the gut, and he let go of Keith’s face with a sad smile. 

“Alright, I guess, that, uh...didn’t work the way I thought it would.” Lance bit his lip and looked at his feet. “I’ll go now. Sorry for bothering you.” With that, he started to turn away, his head bowed. Keith still couldn’t quite manage to form coherent thoughts, but he reached out and grabbed Lance’s hand the way Lance had grabbed his just a few minutes ago. 

“Lance- wait,” he said, sounding desperate even to his own ears. Lance stopped but didn't turn around, so Keith tugged Lance’s arm a bit until he's facing Keith again. Lance’s mouth was set into a straight line, and Keith thinks maybe his eyes are getting a little red. 

“Lance, I panicked,” Keith said, his voice miraculously steady. “I don’t- I do- I...oh, for fuck’s sake.” 

Keith stepped forward and kisses Lance back. He started to go of Lance’s hand, but Lance’s hand twisted in his and intertwined their fingers. Lance’s other hand came back up to Keith’s cheek, his fingers gently brushing Keith’s galra mark, and Keith felt a slight shiver down his spine. Then Lance took a step forward, and then another, until Keith’s back was pressed against a wall. Vaguely, Keith hoped it was a wall that’s out of sight, because he didn’t want Shiro and Allura to have to deal with any scandal after all the shit Voltron’s had to deal with lately.

But that thought was wiped clear when he felt Lance’s fingers- when had Lance let go of his hand?- brush up against his hip, under his shirt. Keith gasped and Lance kissed him that much harder, moving forward and pressing his palm flat over Keith’s stomach. 

When they finally had to break apart to breathe, Keith leaned his head back against the wall as he caught his breath. Lance leaned forward, tucking his face into the junction of Keith’s neck and shoulder. 

“I hope that...cleared things up,” Keith said after he’s caught his breath. Lance laughed breathlessly, standing up straight. He studied Keith’s face silently for a moment, his blue eyes almost glowing in the light from the party. Keith stared back, and he felt stupidly, selfishly happy when he took in the blush across Lance’s cheeks. Gently, Lance brushed some of Keith’s hair away from his face, and Keith wanted to kiss him again just for that. 

“It did a little, yeah,” Lance said, smiling back at Keith. It was still that small, soft smile from earlier, but now Keith thought he understood what it meant and it wasn’t quite so infuriating. Lance leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together, and Keith took the opportunity to unashamedly admired the freckles splattered across the bridge of Lance’s nose. 

“I’ve wanted to do that for...a hell of a long time,” Lance said, his voice soft. Keith huffs out a breath of laughter, reaching down and taking Lance’s hand, entwining their fingers back together. 

“Me too,” Keith admitted, and even though Lance doesn’t open his eyes he smiles wide enough that Keith knew he heard. “Way before the other night.” 

“Same.”

They stood like that for a little while, simply taking it all in and soaking in the presence of the other. Finally, Lance stood up straight again and opened his eyes, holding up his and Keith’s joined hands. 

“Now that that’s settled,” Lance said with a bright, dazzling smile that made Keith feel like a supernova is exploding in his chest. From the dance floor came the familiar first violin notes of another song Allura had taught them the moves to, and Keith saw a smiling and blushing Romelle pulling Allura into the dance floor. 

“Care to dance?”

**Author's Note:**

> I might continue this series? I will have to see how much I feel I need to fix and/or ignore after s7. Until then, happy reading and godspeed all of you who are staying up to watch the midnight release!


End file.
